The newly identified iOS and Android trojan, dubbed 'GoldPickaxe,' employs a sophisticated social engineering scheme to manipulate victims into scanning their faces and ID documents. This malicious activity is believed to facilitate the creation of deepfakes, enabling unauthorized access to banking systems. Discovered by cybersecurity firm Group-IB, the trojan is associated with the Chinese threat group 'GoldFactory,' responsible for other malware strains like 'GoldDigger,' GoldDiggerPlus,' and 'GoldKefu.' Primarily targeting the Asia-Pacific region, particularly Thailand and Vietnam, the malware's tactics could have global implications, with potential adoption by other malicious entities. The campaign began in June 2023 with 'GoldDigger’, and 'GoldPickaxe' distribution commenced in October 2023, persisting to the present. Victims receive phishing or smishing messages, often in their local language, via the LINE app, impersonating government authorities. These messages coerce users into installing fraudulent apps, such as a counterfeit 'Digital Pension' app hosted on deceptive Google Play-like websites. For iOS users, the attackers initially directed victims to a TestFlight URL, bypassing normal security reviews. After Apple removed the TestFlight app, the attackers shifted to enticing users into downloading a malicious Mobile Device Management (MDM) profile, granting control over the device. Once installed, the trojan operates semi-autonomously, capturing faces, intercepting SMS, requesting ID documents, and proxying network traffic through the infected device. On iOS, it establishes a web socket channel to execute various commands, including uploading ID card images and face videos. The Android version performs more malicious activities due to fewer security restrictions, utilizing over 20 bogus apps as cover. GoldPickaxe on Android can access SMS, navigate the filesystem, perform screen clicks, upload photos, install additional packages, and generate fake notifications. While the assumption is that the stolen faces could be used for bank fraud, it is clarified that GoldPickaxe does not hijack Face ID data or exploit vulnerabilities in iOS and Android. Biometric data stored on secure enclaves remains encrypted and isolated from running apps, ensuring its protection.
Hackers linked to the ShinyHunters extortion group have claimed responsibility for a data breach affecting Spanish fashion retailer exposing information belonging to more than 197,...
A cyber intrusion targeting the source code infrastructure of Trellix has reportedly been linked to the ransomware and extortion collectiveRansomHouse. The group recently posted se...
Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a large-scale Android scam campaign involving fraudulent “call history” applications distributed through the Google Play Store. The mal...